Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 12 of Tishrei, 5787
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To see the full schedule of WLCJ events and programs, visit our calendar.
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Sukkot is an autumn festival of thanksgiving and joy that begins five days after Yom Kippur. The sukkah represents the huts that the Israelites lived in during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after escaping slavery in Egypt. During the seven days of Sukkot, we treat the sukkah as our primary living space—eating meals, studying, hosting guests, and sometimes sleeping inside. Can you imagine the prophetess, Miriam, during those 40 years?
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As we proceed from the month of Tishrei to Cheshvan, in the words of SB Schlossman, “May you travel well the seasons from t’kiah g’dolah to our next t’kiah & may gentle rains nourish this fleeting brace of earth that binds us deftly as one.”
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WLCJ Educator Rabbi Margie Cella
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Tue | Nov 10 | 8:00-9:30 pm ET | Zoom
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As a lead up to live-streaming with WOW during the year, WLCJ will be providing a series of Rosh Chodesh Group programs on Zoom, on some evenings before we join WOW at the Kotel individually.
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We will participate as a group, enjoying the women’s holiday of Rosh Chodesh while welcoming the new month together – B’Yachad.
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Please consider inviting the members of your Sisterhood Affiliate to join you.
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As women of WLCJ, we will usher in the new moon and officially start the month of Kislev in the first of this series.
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Doreen Bornfreund, Women of the Wall Chair, WLCJ
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A Virtual Toast to Sherrill Moss Solomon
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THANK YOU – FROM SHERRILL MOSS SOLOMON
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I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the acknowledgement of my 24 years of service. Hearing everyone's words on the Zoom call touched me more than I can say. I’m grateful for the relationships, the shared accomplishments, and the sense of community that has carried me through these years.
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Please share my sentiments with all of the "Ladies". Thank you again for a beautiful evening. It was more than I expected.
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To watch the recording of the virtual toast, click here.
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Sichot Beyn Achayot 2026 Sessions
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Sichot beyn Achayot – Conversations Between Sisters
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SHEMA KOLEINU – HEAR OUR VOICES
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There are many ways in which we use our communal voices to strengthen our relationship with God. We will look at three very different instances of using our voices for Tikkun Olam, repairing our world, while imploring God to hear us and support us.
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Session 1: Shimor haKolot shel HaNitzolim – Preserving the Voices of Survivors
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Sun | Oct 11 | 12:00 pm ET | Zoom
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The Shoah (Holocaust), October 7, and September 11 – three of the most traumatic events of modern history. We will hear personal stories from both Israeli and American survivors of these events and learn how important it is to preserve their stories for future generations.
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- Rabbi Chaya Rowan-Baker, Dean of Schechter Rabbinical Seminary
- Irene Shashar, Holocaust Survivor and Retired Professor from Hebrew University
- Leni Wesley, Holocaust Survivor and Psychotherapist at Shalvata Hospital
- Mandy Book, Director of Maggid: Generations of the Shoah
- Sandy Goldwasser Berenbaum, Holocaust Speaker and WLCJ Member
- Sheila Kaufman, Survivor and WLCJ Member
- Margie Miller, WLCJ Past International President, Consultant, and Activity Chair
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GUEST SPEAKERS HERE.
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Session 2: The Power of Our Voices – Giving a Voice to Those Unable to Speak for Themselves
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Sun | Nov 22 | 12:00 pm ET | Zoom
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Our voices form such an integral part of our worship, through singing, talking, and studying. But what about those among us who are non-verbal? We will look at how, using new technological advances, we can enable those who are non-verbal to fully engage in religious life.
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Session 3: Raising Women’s Voices in Prayer
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Sun | Dec 20 | 12:00 pm ET | Zoom
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This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first ordination of women cantors at JTS. We will look at the halachic process involved in bringing that to fruition, as well as how the role of cantor has changed over time. We will also speak with some Israeli women who serve as shlichot tzibbur (prayer leaders) in their Masorti congregations.
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Sun | Nov 1 | 12:00 pm ET | Zoom
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Join us for a special program highlighting the impact of the Torah Fund campaign through the stories of four rabbinical students from The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, and The Schechter Institutes of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
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Each student will share their personal journey to rabbinical school and how scholarships have helped make that journey. The program will conclude with a moderated Q&A session.
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Learn more about the students here.
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Brought to you by the Torah Fund Campaign of Women's League for Conservative Judaism.
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This program is co-sponsored by Ramah, Keshet, the Rabbinical Assembly, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, and The Schechter Institutes of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
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WLCJ Sustainability Survey
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FORM CLOSES TOMORROW NIGHT!
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A Note from Susan Farber – WL Sustainability Chair
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As we begin another year of WLCJ activities and virtual programming, we want to hear your voice. Your feedback will help shape future programs focused on environmentalism and sustainability.
Two core principles of WLCJ – Shema Koleinu (Hear Our Voice) and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) – guide this initiative and our invitation to participate in this survey.
We hope you will take fewer than 10 minutes to complete the survey by September 24, 2026, sharing your priorities and selecting the topics that most interest you for future learning and action. Closing open-ended questions offer an opportunity to share additional thoughts and ideas.
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Written by WLCJ Executive Director Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields
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Sukkot is called Zman Simchateinu, the season of our joy, yet it is also a time of vulnerability. We leave the stability of our homes and dwell in a sukkah with fragile walls and a roof open to the sky. This physical exposure invites spiritual honesty: we are reminded that security is ultimately not in structures, but in our relationship with God.
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Click the link below to read the rest of this week's Weekly Words of Torah.
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BOOK/AUTHOR EVENTS FOR 2026-2027
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All Zoom discussions are on Sundays, 11:00 am-12:15 pm ET.
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Special WL Youth Session with
Author Ruth Spiro
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Concealed by Esther Amini
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Special WL Youth Session with Ruth Spiro
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All Afternoon by Susan Kleinman
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REGISTRATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
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ONLINE |
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Learn Hebrew, from the Siddur to the Torah
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WLCJ ZOOM classes for 2026-27 will start on October 15 and run through June 4.
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If you would like to expand your Jewish literacy skills, learn Hebrew from scratch (perhaps while also participating in the WL Bat Mitzvah class), or improve your ability to read Biblical Hebrew, consider enrolling in one of our classes today!
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A minimum of 6 students is required for each class.
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Level 1 is for students with no or limited knowledge of Hebrew. Students will learn to recognize the letters and vowels of the alephbet, read and understand basic words in the siddur. Offered on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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Register for Level 1 – Tuesdays at
11:00 am ET here.
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Register for Level 1 – Fridays at
10:00 am ET here.
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Level 2 is for students who know all of the Hebrew letters and vowels and want to be more confident when reading the Siddur. Offered on Thursdays.
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Register for Level 2 – Thursdays at
11:00 am ET here.
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Level 3 is for capable Hebrew readers who would like to be more comfortable with reading, siddur choreography, prayer vocabulary and a general understanding of the meaning of prayers. Offered on Fridays.
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Register for Level 3 – Fridays at
10:00 am ET here.
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Level 4 is a Chumash-based class for proficient Hebrew readers who want to strengthen their skills and learn vocabulary through the study of weekly Torah and Haftorah portions. This class will delve into the meaning of text by examining word roots, prefixes, suffixes and other basic Hebrew grammar. Offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
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ONLY A FEW SPACES REMAIN IN LEVEL 4. Please contact Sharon Katz at skatz@wlcj.org if you are interested in registering.
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EMAIL |
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2026-2029 Bat Mitzvah Classes
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Picture yourself here three years from now – leading a service, delivering a D'var Torah, and chanting Torah.
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Here is your opportunity to become a member of the Bat Mitzvah Class of 2026-2029. This three-year program, taught by Rabbis, Educators, and Leaders of the Conservative movement, will meet once a month. Joining this class will not
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only enrich your knowledge of Judaism, but you will become a part of a special community of women with a common goal and bond.
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Please let us know your interest by emailing Toby B. Holtzman, the Bat Mitzvah Chair, at tholtzman@wlcj.org.
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THE BAT MITZVAH CLASS OF 2023-2026
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JTS RABBINICAL & CANTORIAL OPEN HOUSE
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Tzohar: A Window into the JTS Rabbinical School and H. L. Miller Cantorial School
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Thu | Oct 15 | 8:00 am-5:30 pm ET | JTS
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3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
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Join us on the JTS campus for a day of learning, reflection, and community. Experience firsthand the Torah, training, and transformative educational environment that shape the next generation of rabbinic leaders.
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Meet current students and faculty and discover how JTS cultivates the knowledge, awareness, and practical skills needed to become inspiring, innovative spiritual leaders.
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Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday |
12 noon ET, 9am PT, 10am MT, and 11am CT
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A virtual service for our WLCJ Sisters to recite Mishaberach (the Prayer for Healing) and Psalms, and study Kaddish.
https://zoom.us/j/630830287
Meeting ID: 630 830 287
Password: 875936
Want to sing, teach, help with technology, and more during Psalm Study and Kaddish? Sign up here!
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Informal Makom B'Yachad on Friday, 9/25, Tuesday, 9/29, and Friday, 10/2
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Region/Sisterhood Affiliate Events
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Does your Region/Sisterhood Affiliate have any upcoming programs that are virtual or hybrid? If so, please send the details to info@wlcj.org so we can include them in a future edition of WL Week.
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Find additional resources and shortcuts here.
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Read the Virtual Journal here.
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View the 2026 Convention Photo Gallery here.
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Watch webinars from 2026 Convention here.
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Place an ad in the Virtual Journal here.
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Contact our Communications Co-Chair to join a Google Group here.
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